“The result is growth without transformation—growth that leaves most people poorer, more insecure, and excluded,” IBON said. “Without a decisive break from elite-biased policies, the economy will continue to slow and social distress will deepen.”
The reality unblinkered by moralizing is that growth and development don’t follow the elimination of corruption – economic progress, rising productivity and state discipline narrowed the space for it. Clean governance can’t substitute for a development strategy.
Grand-scale corruption so overwhelmingly captured public attention in the last half of 2025 that fixing the economy’s slippage barely entered the conversation. Yet there is much to talk about—apart from slowing growth, the recent labor force, inflation, and self-rated poverty figures point to deep problems.
It enriches those in power while leaving tens of millions of jobless, job-insecure and low earning poor and middle-class Filipinos behind.
The number of Filipinos experiencing involuntary hunger has more than doubled since the start of the Marcos Jr administration – from 11.6% or some 2.9 million families in June 2022 to 27.2% or 7.5 million families in March 2025, according to Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey data.
It may not be a coincidence that the country’s most powerful energy officials are all associated with the country’s biggest power generator, Aboitiz Equity Ventures, which accounts for 22.5% of the national grid. Nor that Pres. Marcos Jr and Aboitiz Equity Ventures Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sabin Aboitiz are close friends as are, apparently, even their children.
The latest report of the United Nations (UN) Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) showed the Philippines has the third highest incidence of severe and moderate food insecurity (44.1% of the population) after Timor-Leste (53.7%) and Cambodia (50.5%) in the period 2021-2023.
The mothers’ cry does not only confront the State that plays deaf to the demands for accountability and threatens those who defend human rights. It also shakes the larger social context of impunity, deprivation, and injustice. It is incomparable bravery and strength to persist despite facing unimaginable difficulties and the weight of endless waiting. The mothers’ cry is an inspiration.
There are an estimated nine million jeepney passengers daily in Metro Manila alone and the lack of consolidated PUJs will leave many of them stranded.
The pandemic has been a radical shock to the country. Entering the new year and, soon, a new administration, it is also timely to ask for more radical measures breaking from the economic conservatism which has weighed down the economy and development for the people for so long.
